Author: Flavor & The Menu Staff

Roasted Salmon Quinoa Bowl with red onions, mushrooms, asparagus, fire-roasted red peppers and soy-ginger saucePHOTO CREDIT: Flavor & The Menu Staff The trend in updating deli favorites has pastrami and Reubens leading the pack, and with global mash-ups moving into eclectic ones, the Pastrami Dumpling at Packed is right on the money: spiced and cured brisket, violet mustard and pickled green tomatoes stuffed into a delicate dumpling. “As one slowly enters the mouth, pillows of steam float out carrying slight whiffs of smoke and undertones of beefy meatiness,” says Chef Mike Sheerin. “The sweet-and-spicy mustard cuts through the unctuous...

Pastrami Dumpling with violet mustard and pickled green tomatoes.

Ataula’s Pepito sandwich is built of luxurious layers of braised veal breast, roasted red pepper confit, veal jus, horseradish cream and Havarti cheese on brioche.

PHOTO CREDIT: Flavor & The Menu Staff The Bison Burger was only going to run as a weekly special at Brick House Tavern + Tap, reports Tim Griffin, Director of Culinary Innovation. But its soaring popularity moved it into a menu mainstay. “Since adding it to the main menu, it has become our best-selling specialty burger, and with good reason,” he says. “Bison was an interesting choice for us because at the time, it was a new protein that was just starting to appear on restaurant menus. I wanted to use it in a creative yet approachable way by...

PHOTO CREDIT: Flavor & The Menu Staff At Honey Butter, Christine Cikowski and Josh Kulp, co-executive chefs and managing partners, are famous for their fried chicken, made extra craveable with a signature side of honey butter. But they recently played around with the classic Cubano, which was the brainchild of their executive sous chef, Becca Waron. Roasted pork shoulder, basted with molasses and orange juice, is sliced and layered in a ciabatta bun with ham, Swiss cheese and housemade bread-and-butter pickle. “The bun is slathered on the inside with chipotle mayo, which adds smoke and heat,” says Cikowski. The...